EASTERN DELIGHTS DELIGHTS
Leon Thompson, Executive Director, UKHospitality Scotland
“It’s clear that both businesses and consumers will be hit by business rates bills rising for Scottish hospitality businesses. Combined, increases to wage rates and business rates mean that already hard-pressed hospitality venues are under even more pressure. The result is simple – higher prices for consumers.”
Ollie Ford, COQ, Chippenham, brother of Will Ford (pictured)
“I didn’t want to go down the whole fine dining route and chasing Michelin stars. I’ve put everything I’ve learned at Michelin restaurants into a burger ... I love just being creative with food ... seeing the kitchen flourish and people doing well. Showing people how to do something and knowing that they’re smashing it is rewarding.”
Ailbe Heffernan, Category ManagerBeer & Cider, Booker
“The continued growth of low and no alcohol beer and cider means it’s now becoming firmly mainstream. Low and no remains a relatively small part of the overall category but it’s growing every year and that’s particularly noticeable in hospitality. More and more people are moderating their alcohol intake and that’s been reflected in huge growth in the number of low and no alcohol lines.”
Kris Gibbon-Walsh, Deputy CEO, FareShare
“We are enormously grateful to everyone at Booker for their ongoing support. Reaching the milestone of providing the equivalent of 25m meals alongside celebrating five years partnership with the FareShare Go programme is hugely important. This food will have a lifechanging impact on communities right across the UK.”
High margins
Almost half of all UK adults now choose low and no alcohol drinks to help them moderate their consumption presenting a clear opportunity for growth over the coming months. Booker offers an extensive range of options to help target this huge market including a vast array of increasingly highquality beers, wines, ciders and spirits from major UK and global brands.
Additionally, a little creativity can go a long way in ensuring that your low and no alcohol drinks menu extends beyond the standard options and traditional soft drinks. Why not consider some tasty, easy to prepare and highly profitable mocktails which can elevate the experience
Booker donates 25 million meals to Fareshare over five years.
Hospitality spending up in April despite Middle East concerns.
Seasonal Value – Freshen up your menu with some creative twists on classic themes.
Low & No – Targeting the 50% of consumers moderating their alcohol consumption.
April cost increases add to the heavy burden facing foodservice outlets.
Meet the Team – Meet Ailbe Heffernan, Category Manager for Beer & Cider.
Planet – Booker celebrates landmark food redistribution progress with Fareshare.
Booker Networks – Women’s Network blazing a trail.
BOOKER DONATES 25 MILLION MEALS TO FARESHARE
Booker is celebrating the significant milestone of having donated 25 million meals to charity FareShare in five years.
Booker has confirmed that it is has now donated the equivalent of 25 million meals to FareShare in five years of partnership with the UK’s leading food redistribution charity.
This represents a significant milestone in Booker’s commitment to tackling food waste and food insecurity.
The partnership sees surplus food from across Booker’s estate redistributed to charities and community groups across the country, helping to support families and individuals facing food insecurity while preventing good food from going to waste.
For fi ve years Booker has worked closely with FareShare as part of its waste reduction strategy to ensure surplus food reaches those who need it most. The milestone comes as Booker also marks fi ve years of involvement in the FareShare Go programme, which helps charities access
additional surplus food direct from branches. Alongside FareShare, local communities are also supported to access surplus via OLIO’s Food Waste Hero volunteers, while colleagues can also take advantage of Booker’s Colleague Shop.
To find out more, turn to page 44.
HUGHES: 'INCREDIBLY PROUD'
Angela Hughes, Technical & Sustainability Director at Booker, said:
“Reaching 25 million meals donated with FareShare is a milestone we’re incredibly proud of.
“This partnership is about more than reducing food waste – it’s about making a meaningful difference to people’s lives, supporting local communities and creating long-term, positive impact.
“As we look ahead, we remain committed to building on this work and ensuring no good food goes to waste.”
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HOSPITALITY SPEND UP IN MARCH
Spending in pubs, clubs, restaurant and hotels grew in March despite the impact of unrest in the Middle east.
Total consumer card spending increased 0.9% year-on-year in March but was outstripped by hospitality sector growth which saw spending in pubs, bars and clubs rise 1.8% and spend in restaurants and cafes climb 2.6%.
The findings are from the latest Barclays Consumer Spend report which combines hundreds of millions of customer transactions with consumer research to provide an in-depth view of UK spending.
Then report notes that the growth was in spite of growing uncertainty around the Middle East conflict. One in seven (14%) of those surveyed said they were delaying major purchases or financial decisions, while the same proportion are building up a savings buffer in case
costs rise. Meanwhile, 74% anticipated that ongoing tensions would continue to impact the cost of living throughout the rest of year.
Spend on hotels, resorts & accommodation increased 1.2 per cent, potentially due to a preference for UK-based “staycations” and a rise in domestic bookings during the Easter break.
Surging fuel prices damaged consumer confidence in the UK and global economies, overall consumer resilience remains strong. The vast majority of UK adults (71%) reported feeling confident in their ability to live within their means each month and 67% felt confident about their household finances.
‘NO
WINNERS’ FROM HOLIDAY TAX
New economic analysis reveals the Government’s proposed holiday tax would shrink GDP, cause jobs losses and see the Treasury lose hundreds of millions in tax revenue.
Modelling commissioned by UKHospitality, highlights the “devastating impact” a holiday tax in England would have. Assuming the impact of a 5% levy is fully realised by 2030, the impact on the economy and consumers would be stark reduction in GDP of £2.2bn, a £1.6bn tax increase for holidaymakers and £688m in reduced tax receipts to the Treasury as well as a loss of £101m in direct investment from hospitality and tourism businesses.
Hospitality would suffer a £1.8bn reduction in tourism spending and nine million fewer nights spent in accommodation. Allen Simpson, Chief Executive of UKHospitality, commented: “There are no winners from a holiday tax.”
SECTOR UNITES ON SUPPORT FOR BUSINESS GROWTH MEASURES
Hospitality operators share their views on the most effective changes required to ignite enterprise expansion
A VAT reduction for hospitality is the number one measure that would aid business growth, according to 89% of foodservice operators in a new CGA by NIQ survey of hospitality businesses with respondents operating more than 20,000 sites.
The research also found that 74% of foodservice firms saw the need for permanent reform of business rates and 65% called for changes to employer National Insurance Contributions.
The survey, which was carried out in association with UKHospitality, the British Beer and Pub Association, the British Institute of Innkeeping and Hospitality Ulster, highlighted the impact of recent increases to business rates and employment costs for many.
The direct result would include businesses cutting jobs (64%), cancelling investment plans (51%) and reducing trading hours (42%) while as many as one in seven venues (15%) may be forced to close. Conversely, lowering
hospitality’s tax burden would see businesses prioritise refurbishing and developing existing sites (70%), creating new jobs (46%) and opening new sites (27%).
In a joint statement, the trade bodies said: “The benefits of backing our local pubs, restaurants, hotels, leisure and tourism businesses are obvious and if the Government works with our sector we can keep people in jobs, make our high streets flourish, and drive growth.”
Booker is also on hand to support our members with expert advice and a vast range of everyday essentials and trending lines that offer unbeatable quality, strong margins and value for money.
CONSUMERS FACE ‘HIGHER PRICES’
The lack of business rates support in Scotland will lead to high prices to consumers, according to 39% of respondents to a new survey of around 600 hospitality sites in Scotland.
The UKHospitality member survey also found that 39% of respondents believe the lack of rates support will lead to job losses and 28% believe it will lead to reduced investment.
Leon Thompson, Executive Director of UKHospitality Scotland, said: “It’s clear that both businesses and consumers will be hit by business rates bills rising for Scottish hospitality businesses. Combined, increases to wage rates and business rates mean that hard-pressed hospitality venues are under even more pressure. The result is higher prices for consumers and more jobs lost across hospitality.
“This was avoidable, if the Scottish Government had put forward a more generous and universal business rates support package for the sector,” he said.
THE ART OF THE CANTONESE BANQUET
Jovin Yap has built a destination for handmade dim sum, traditional Cantonese feasting and largescale celebrations, with manager Lee Soon Yao (pictured) helping drive the business forward.
When Malaysian-born Jovin Yap and his mother began looking for a business opportunity during the pandemic, they saw potential in a very specific niche: authentic Cantonese dining on a grand scale.
Through a friend with experience in Cantonese cuisine, they laid the foundation for what would become Dragon’s Delicacy. Then, in 2021, an opportunity arose to take on a 300seat venue above one of Bristol’s biggest Chinese supermarkets.
“It was too good an opportunity to ignore,” says Jovin. “We took a leap of faith and signed the lease.” The site had previously operated as a buffet restaurant, but Jovin
The Lowdown
Venue name: Dragon’s Delicacy
Location: Bristol
Format: Restaurant
Foodservice operator: Jovin Yap
Opening hours: 11am–10pm daily
Staff: 28, including 11 full-time chefs
Seats: 300 inside, 50 outside
had a different vision. Rather than compete on volume alone, he wanted to create something more premium: an à la carte restaurant and banquet hall centred on quality, authenticity and the celebratory spirit of Cantonese dining.
In the early days, Jovin’s mother worked alongside the kitchen team while Jovin ran front of house. But the journey was far from straightforward. A
few months after opening, the business lost its original head chef and much of the team at the same time, forcing the restaurant to close temporarily while replacements were found.
“It was a wild ride in the beginning,” says Jovin. “I didn’t come from a catering background, so there was a lot to learn very quickly. But I’ve always been the type to back myself and figure things out.”
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Menu Improvements
The menu is currently being streamlined as Jovin looks to make the offer more focused and efficient.
“Chinese restaurant menus can be enormous – almost like a dictionary,” he says. “We currently have more than 150 dishes, and I’d like to bring that down to under 100 so we can manage stock better and reduce waste.
“One of the ways we’re doing that is by cross-referencing ingredients across multiple dishes. If an ingredient is only used once, it makes stock control harder and increases wastage, so those are the items we look at first.”
That challenge ultimately pushed him deeper into the business. He immersed himself in the dayto-day realities of hospitality, from service and staffing to food production and kitchen operations.
“The Chinese community is very well connected,” he says. “We were able to reach people through friends and contacts, including chefs who were looking for a change.”
Jovin also secured a sponsorship licence, enabling Dragon’s Delicacy to recruit skilled staff from overseas, including Malaysia and China. One of the most important additions was his close friend Lee Soon Yao, known as Yao, who joined the business as a manager.
“He’s like a brother to me,” says Jovin. “Having someone I trust so much beside me has made a huge difference. He’s
taken a lot off my shoulders.”
Today, Dragon’s Delicacy has established itself as a true Cantonese banquet hall – a format more commonly associated with major city Chinatowns than regional dining scenes. The restaurant
specialises in large celebrations, including weddings, milestone birthdays and family gatherings, serving traditional multi-course banquet menus alongside a wide-ranging à la carte offer.
Dim sum, meanwhile, has become one of its biggest draws. “We added dim sum along the way, and it’s grown massively,” says Jovin. “A lot of dim sum elsewhere is bought in frozen form. We make ours by hand.”
That commitment to craftsmanship is central to the restaurant’s appeal. Dragon’s Delicacy employs four dim sum chefs, an increasingly rare level of specialism, and handmade favourites such as prawn dumplings, siu mai and soup dumplings are among its bestsellers.
The kitchen also makes its own ho fun noodles – another detail
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U Y
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that Jovin believes helps set the restaurant apart.
As well as preserving tradition, he is not afraid to bring in ideas of his own. One example is Char Kuey Teow, a Malaysian stir-fried noodle dish with king prawns, Chinese sausage and chives, which he introduced as a special before it earned a permanent place on the menu.
“I always say I’m not a chef, but I’m a very good eater,” he says. “I understand flavours and ingredients. I gave the chefs the idea for the dish, everyone loved it, and now it’s one of our top sellers. Every time we sell it, I feel proud.”
The split between dine-in and delivery reflects the strength of the
restaurant’s on-site experience. Around 13% of sales come via Deliveroo, with the vast majority generated in the restaurant itself.
“Business has been getting better year by year,” says Jovin. “Chinese New Year is always our busiest period, and this year was the best we’ve ever had. We were full throughout the day, with lion dance performances and huge numbers through the doors.”
Behind the scenes, the kitchen is structured almost like several specialist operations under one roof. One team focuses on rice, noodles and wok dishes, another on dim sum, while a dedicated roast chef prepares roast duck, char siu, roast pork and suckling pig.
That breadth is especially important for banquet service, where tradition matters. For major celebrations, such as weddings and baby full moon parties, certain dishes are expected as part of the experience. “In Cantonese banquet culture, suckling pig is one of those centrepiece dishes,” Jovin explains. “It’s something people associate with celebration, and it’s an important part of what we do.”
Booker plays a key role in helping the restaurant deliver that scale and consistency. Much of Dragon’s Delicacy’s meat, along with dry goods, spirits and catering essentials, is sourced through the wholesaler. “Our corn-fed
chicken and lamb leg come from Booker, and so do a lot of the basics we rely on every week – things like blue roll, gloves, washing-up liquid, evaporated milk, sugar, eggs and sauces,” says Jovin.
He is particularly positive about Booker’s delivery service, which has saved time and streamlined ordering.
“In the early days, we were driving to Booker twice a week,” he says. “Then I got to know Foodservice Sales Manager Paul Bradley, and once we started ordering by delivery it made a huge difference. It saves me a lot of time.” Jovin still visits the branch in person for
certain items, including suckling pig, and values the relationships he has built with the team there.
“I still like going in sometimes,” he says. “I know a lot of the people there, and it’s nice to have that connection. Half the time I leave with things I wasn’t planning to buy – that’s how I ended up getting the big bowl of mints and lollipops for customers. They loved it, so now it’s become a regular thing.”
Dragon’s Delicacy’s reputation has grown far beyond Bristol, with diners travelling from cities including Birmingham and Exeter to experience its food. Jovin now
sees special occasions and events as a major part of the restaurant’s future and has been working to position the business more strongly in that space. “We really want people to think of us for weddings, banquets and celebrations,” he says. “That’s where Cantonese banquet culture really comes to life.”
Over the past year, he has also invested heavily in the restaurant itself, upgrading the flooring and revamping the lighting.
Dragon’s Delicacy has carved out a unique place in Bristol’s dining scene – bringing the theatre of Cantonese banquet dining to the South West.
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The Lowdown
Venue name: COQ
Location: Chippenham and Bristol
TAKING FLIGHT
Format: Restaurant and takeaway
Foodservice operators: Ollie and Will Ford
Opening hours: Chippenham: Tuesday–Thursday 17:00–21:00; Friday & Saturday 12:00–21:00
Bristol: Sunday–Thursday 12:00–21:00; Friday & Saturday 12:00–22:00
Staff: four in Chippenham, 10 in Bristol
Seats: 23 in Chippenham, 50 in Bristol (plus 60 outside)
Ollie and Will Ford are reaching new heights at COQ with their gourmet chicken burger concept.
Ollie Ford started doing shift work at the Michelin-starred Restaurant Hywel Jones by Lucknam Park at the age of 14 simply to “earn a bit of money,” but at 16 he was offered the chance to train to be a chef and ended up staying there for five years. “Hywel Jones is a great chef,” he says. “It was pretty hardcore, back in the day, but it was good.
“I really started to enjoy fine dining cooking. When everyone is in the kitchen cracking on during service it’s a really good buzz.”
Having found his calling, Ollie worked at various venues and later became a self-employed chef. “I’d be in one restaurant for one day, then another for a week, I enjoyed it, moving around all the time.”
Meanwhile, his brother, Will (pictured), was working in London selling private jet flights. But in 2020 coronavirus dragged everything to a halt. “We had a lot of time off during Covid,” says Ollie. “One day my brother texted me and said: ‘Do you want to do a food truck?’” Although he hadn’t pursued fooservice before now, Will had also worked briefly at Lucknam Park as a teen and since
then his time in London had given him plenty of opportunities to embrace his inner foodie, eating at a wealth of different restaurants.
So Will sourced a vehicle and the brothers set up ‘The Coq Au Van’ takeaway truck in Chippenham selling gourmet chicken burgers. “It got so busy – people were queueing for an hour and then waiting an hour,” says Ollie. “It was crazy! We ended up being a sensation!”
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Eventually, they took on another chef and then Will went ‘front of house’ talking to people and selling the product. The takeaway was such a runaway success that after seven months, they decided to upgrade to bricks and mortar in 2021, taking on a former shop and building the kitchen, 23-seater restaurant and bar.
“It was scary, but we knew we had a good following,” says Ollie. “If anything, we just needed more space, more prep area and a nicer kitchen.” They set up COQ as a takeaway, but as lockdown eased off people began to eat on the premises.
Ollie has carefully designed each of the dishes, which are all based around buttermilk chicken. “I didn’t want to go down the whole fine dining route and chasing Michelin stars,” he says. “I’ve put everything I’ve learned at Michelin restaurants into a burger; all the sauces are homemade.”
The El Nacho Coq burger features guacamole, sour cream, chilli con carne, nachos, old-school American cheese, jalapenos and coriander, while the Hot Honey Coq burger has chorizo sausage, hot honey, mozzarella and lime mayo. The Bang Coq burger, flavoured with soy, sesame &
lime mayo, peanut butter satay, Thai-style raw slaw, chilli and coriander, is the best-selling dish, and Mac & Cheese Loaded Fries are also regularly requested.
“We buy the chips in and the buns and everything else is made by us,” says Ollie. “We do specials every month with a coqtail.” At the moment, it’s a Korean BBQ Coq burger with braised belly of pork, gochujang mayo, sesame and soy mushroom, Korean BBQ sauce and pak choi, served with a margarita.
Seasonal dishes also feature on the menu. “If I can see something when I’m out and about, it doesn’t
take me long and I’ll whip it up,” says Ollie. “For example, when wild garlic comes into season, I’ll put on a Kiev with wild garlic.” Around 35% of stock is sourced from Booker including the buns, French fries, mayonnaise, salad oil and cleaning lines. Ollie rates Booker’s crispy Julienne fries and is also trialling some skin-on variants.
“We’ve been with Booker from the beginning and it’s a very good relationship,” he says. “I go to the branch quite a lot just to pick up a few bits. Staff at the Trowbridge branch are always very helpful.”
The Chippenham venue has proved
Key Takeaways
Takeaway makes up 60% of the Chippenham restaurant’s business and Ollie and Will are eager to boost this side of things in Bristol. “At the moment, 80% of business at Bristol is ‘eat in’ and 20% is takeaway,” says Ollie. “We need more people to discover us as we want 40-50% to be takeaway. “Deliveroo is there for us to use so we might as well hit it hard. We just need to get the numbers and reviews up. If you’re below four you go to the bottom of the list, so the higher the rating, the more Deliveroo push you. We’ve got a social media team pumping things out on Insta and TikTok, so it’s only a matter of time.”
so successful that the brothers decided to branch out, setting up a second COQ in Bristol, which is also supplied by Booker. “In Bristol
my main contact is Hema, the sales manager – she’s really helpful. If I need anything I give her a ring and she’s on it straight away,” says Ollie.
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“Overall, Booker is very, very good.” Will and Ollie purchased a restaurant in the affluent village of Clifton, which had been closed for six months. They stripped and refitted it, doing all the carpentry themselves. The venue, which opened its doors at the very end of last year, seats 50 inside across the ground floor and mezzanine, with room for a further 60 in the courtyard garden. “We’re planning on doing big functions out there if people want to hire it out. Hopefully we’ll get it packed out.”
The beauty of COQ’s cuisine is that it really does appeal to everyone. “Our customers stretch all the way from teens to 75-year-olds,” says Ollie. “We try to be a finedine burger joint. You can come in and we have beautiful wines on the menu, beers and cocktails.”
And it’s not just the food that is winning them over. “We’ve got a great front of house team offering really good customer service,” Ollie beams.
Having experienced poor service elsewhere, Ollie prides himself on ensuring COQ staff are efficient and respectful. “So many places I go to you wait 15 minutes before you’re asked if you want a drink and it rubs me up the wrong way,” he says.
“You know you’ll be well looked after with us. We don’t just pick anyone for front of house; we pick people who have got something
about them. They are attentive, funny and personable.”
His favourite parts of the job are developing both dishes and staff. “I love just being creative with food, coming up with new ideas and seeing them flourish and seeing the
kitchen flourish and people doing well,” he says. “Showing people how to do something and knowing that they’re smashing it is rewarding.”
With a passionate team and next-level burgers, COQ certainly has plenty to crow about.
SEASONAL VALUE AND CHOICE
Summer is on the horizon, making it the ideal time to start thinking about refreshing your menu with seasonal dishes that deliver fantastic quality and value.
As we approach the end of spring – it offi cially concludes at the end of May – and begin looking ahead to what we all hope will be a long, warm summer, it’s a great time to take a fresh look at your menu and begin making plans for some seasonal dishes and some lighter, fresher options for your customers.
Delivering enticing, tasty dishes that also deliver fantastic value could be key in unlocking footfall, sales and profits over the coming months with many people still keeping a close eye on their spending.
Veggie options
With the vegetarian and vegan trend still very much alive, it makes sense to ensure that your menu features some thoughtful, interesting options that don’t make your meat-free customers feeling left out.
Booker has a great selection of no-fuss treats to meet the bill from vegetarian takes on classics such as Sausage Rolls and through to exquisite Mediterranean Vegetable Tarts and Beetroot & Butternut Squash Wellington.
Satisfying, delicious and entirely meat-free, all three of these options are available frozen to eliminate waste and require nothing more than warming through before serving. Or you could consider having your kitchen team prepare some engaging and enticing vegetarian twists on classic options like a Mixed Peppers & Red Onion Panini with Humous.
It’s a simple and quick serve to prepare but it shows a little creativity and thought that many vegetarian customers may appreciate. Best of all, it costs just 69p per serving and will deliver a cash profit of £2.64 when sold at a very reasonable £3.99. There are lots of ways to liven up your vegetarian menu with just a tiny bit of effort, so why not challenge your kitchen team to see what they can come up with?
Pizza the action
The humble pizza is always a good option to have on the menu as summer approaches, providing the ideal blank canvas for building new creations that capture the imagination of your customers.
However, a few tweaks on a classic theme can often be all that’s required. A chorizo pizza?
Great idea. But why take it to a new level not by slathering on some Roquito Hot Honey? A ridiculously simple twist but the result is a truly memorable pizza.
And with a cost of just £3.29 per serving, you’ll make over £5 cash profit when you sell it for £9.99.
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GUINNESS BACON & CHEESE BURGER
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SELL PRICE | £11.99
% PROFIT |
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Chef’s Menu Vegan Mayonnaise M306524 1ltr Portion: 1 tbsp
Farm Fresh Beef Tomatoes
Avogogo Smashed Avocado M280756 900g Portion: 1 tbsp SELL PRICE | £6.99
PROFIT | 73%
PROFIT | £4.24
£1.58 per serving £3.91 per serving
No summer menu is complete without a few burger options – but why limit yourself to a simple beef burger or cheeseburger? Setting yourself apart from the competition by tapping into new trends and famous names is a fast-track way to building a burger menu that pops.
Take the Guinness Bacon & Cheese Burger. That famous Guinness name is bound to have many of your customers intrigued and keen to try it out.
The ‘secret sauce’ is, of course, the Blackgate Guinness Burger patty that sits at the heart of what is essentially a standard cheese burger, but it’s sure to be a popular addition to your menu – and you’ll make £6.08 cash profit from every dish sold at £11.99.
Or, to take the classic burger in an entirely different direction, how about the Bangkok Burger? A Fat Chef Bangkok Bad Boy Burger on a seeded bun with a generous splash of sriracha sauce and you have another eye-catching addition to the menu, for absolutely no extra effort. And don’t forget about your vegetarian customers who might be tempted with a Pumpkin & Spinach Burger, available ready to cook from Booker.
Fully laden with beef tomatoes, red onions, smashed avocado and vegan mayonnaise, the cost per serve is only £1.58 which means you will make £4.24 cash profit on a sale price of £6.99.
Delivering fantastic value doesn’t have to mean compromising on quality or creativity – and Booker has everything you need to max out sales and profits over the coming months.
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Almost half of all UK adults now choose low and no alcohol drinks to help them moderate their consumption presenting a clear opportunity for growth.
NO AND LOW THE WAY TO GO
The growth of the low and no alcohol category in the last few years has been nothing short of remarkable. As recently as 2018, less than a third (31%) of UK adults chose low and no alcohol drinks to help them moderate their drinking, according to Drinkaware. By 2025 that figure had rocketed to 41%.
Total consumption of low-alcohol products also increasing from 25%
to 33% over the same period.
The figures are even more remarkable when it comes to younger adult drinkers. In 2018 only 28% opted for low and no alcohol products. By 2025 that figure had almost doubled to 49%. In other words, one in every two young adult customers entering a pub, restaurant or club are looking to purchase low and no alcohol products.
High appeal
There are, of course, many ways to tempt that near 50% of customers looking for low or no alcohol products including a vast range of increasing high quality beers, wines, ciders and spirits from major UK and global brands – and you can find some fantastic options on the Booker website.
A little creativity, however, can go a long way in ensuring that your low and no alcohol drinks menu extends beyond the standard options and traditional soft drinks. Why not consider some tasty, easy to prepare and highly profitable mocktails which have the additional benefit of being quickly converted into alcoholic cocktails with a measure of an appropriate spirit?
With summer around the corner, it’s the ideal time to introduce some light, fresh and fruity options that give non-drinkers something a little more indulgent and appealing than just a classic soft drink. Try a Peaches & Cream, for example, which involves little more than a Red
APPLE GINGER
Apple juice, Schweppes ginger ale and an optional shot of gin, served over mint leaves.
WITHOUT ALCOHOL:
79p PER SERVING
WITH ALCOHOL:
£1.29 PER SERVING
Bull with peach syrup presented in a tall glass over loads of ice and garnished with a slice of fresh peach. Each serving costs only around 83p to serve - and you can quickly add a shot of Archers for those looking for something with a little more bite and the cost per serve is still only around £1.35 which leaves plenty of room for profit on every glass.
Similarly a Sunrise can be made with just three ingredients –orange juice, grenadine syrup and Schweppes Indian Tonic – and costs just 88p per serve. A nice glass, plenty of ice and blackberry garnish and you have an Insta-worthy drink that elevates the experience for non-
PEACHES & CREAM
Red Bull with a shot of peach syrup or optional shot of Archers.
WITHOUT ALCOHOL:
83p PER SERVING
WITH ALCOHOL:
£1.35 PER SERVING
drinkers. Add a splash of tequila and you have a Tequila Sunrise that costs just £1.40 per serve.
Or how about a crisp and refreshing Apple Ginger? All you need is some apple juice and some Schweppes Ginger Ale over plenty of ice in a tall cocktail glass and a few sprigs of fresh mint as a garnish and the result is a refreshing drink that’s a world away from a simple glass of lemonade or cola. The cost per serve is only 79p and only £1.29 if you add a shot of gin. All that’s required is a little preparation and thought and the half of young customers coming to your door looking for alcohol-free options have plenty to get excited about.
SUNRISE
Orange juice with grenadine syrup and topped with Schweppes Indian tonic, and an optional shot of tequila.
WITHOUT ALCOHOL:
88p PER SERVING
WITH ALCOHOL:
£1.40 PER SERVING
AILBE HEFFERNAN
CATEGORY MANAGER | BEER & CIDER
With the World Cup just around the corner, we catch up with Beer & Cider Category Manager
Ailbe Heffernan to explore the opportunities that lie ahead over the next few months.
Tell us a little bit about yourself Ailbe…
Where do I start? I’m Ailbe Heffernan and I’m Category Manager for Beer & Cider. I’ve been in that role for about seven years but I’ve actually been with Booker for over 42 years, believe it or not.
That’s a long time!
It is indeed. I spent the first 24 years in Branch, working my way from part-time shifts on the checkout to becoming an Area Manager in numerous locations. After that I moved into Category Management and during the last 18 years I’ve looked after Chilled, Soft Drink, Grocery, Confectionery and now Beer & Cider.
So you’ve seen and done it all?
I wouldn’t say that but I have had the privilege of watching Booker and our customers develop and grow for over four decades. When I first started with Booker we didn’t even have barcodes! We just used paper price tickets!
All that experience must help in your current role?
It definitely does. I know the business and, most importantly, I know our customers – and that’s the part of
the job that has always been most important to me. We are nothing without our amazing customers. So, I am one of three Category Managers in the Booker Group looking after Beer & Cider and together we are responsible for offering our customers the best possible choice, price and service. It’s a simple mantra but it gets to the heart of what makes Booker special. Our goal is always to give our customers strong enough margins to flourish.
What does a Category Manager do?
We over see everything to do with Beer & Cider. We are constantly reviewing the range, we negotiate the costs, we work closely with suppliers with a lot of time spent working on promotions which are extremely important in this category. Availability is also vital so making sure we always have 100% availability is key.
The most important part of the role, however, is the customer. A key function of my role is spending time with our customers and listening to their needs and concerns so I spend a lot of every week with customers in one way or another.
What does a typical day look like for you?
It varies from day to day. Usually I would be dealing with several suppliers negotiating pricing and planning for future promotions
MEET THE TEAM
About Ailbe
Remarkably, Ailbe Heffernan has been with Booker for no fewer than 42 years. He began his career working part-time on checkouts in Booker depots before working his way up to become an Area Manager.
Around 18 years ago he moved into Category Management and in that time has looked after Chilled, Soft Drinks, Grocery and Confectionery. For the last seven years, Ailbe has been looking after the vital Beer & Cider category.
His long experience at Booker means he is perfectly placed to help ensure that caterers have the products, prices and promotions they need to maximise revenues and profits in the beer and cider category.
to make sure our customers have competitive deals to sell to their consumers.
Another important part is securing as many first-to-market and exclusive packs as we can to give our customers the edge over their competitors. We can only be successful if our customers are successful.
What do you like most about your role?
I like a lot of things about it but the element I really enjoy is the pace and energy the role brings. There’s always lots going on and there’s always lots of opportunities for me to
exploit that allow me to help my customers stay competitive.
How closely do you work with foodservice customers?
Very, very closely. Over 42 years in this trade have taught me that nothing matters more than spending good time with customers. I make it a point of visiting customers at least a few times a week. They give you great insight into all aspects of foodservice. And I tell all my suppliers that they should do them same. Nothing helps you understand the trade like actually getting into venues and talking to caterers about the reality on the ground.
How important is the Beer and Cider category to Foodservice?
I would say it is one of the most important areas of their business. It’s a vital category and it’s an exciting one because it’s always changing and evolving.
What are the key trends for this year?
The continued growth of low and no alcohol beer and cider means it’s now becoming firmly mainstream. Low and no remains a relatively small part of the overall category but it’s growing every year and that’s particularly noticeable in hospitality. More and more people are moderating their alcohol intake and that’s been reflected in huge growth in the number of low and no alcohol lines available and, I would have to say, the quality of products. Going back five or six years, the quality wasn’t quite there yet but these days you’d be hard pressed to tell the difference in a blind taste test.
How is the Beer and Cider category generally?
The total Beer & Cider market is in good shape but it faces challenges mainly due to customers’ changing lifestyles. The young generation is more aware of
WE'VE GOT PLENTY OF OPPORTUNITIES FOR RETAILERS TO EXPLOIT.
AILBE HEFFERNAN, BEER & CIDER CATEGORY MANAGER
physical and mental health and that impacts on purchasing behaviours. Premiumisation continues to be important too.
What's the scale of the FIFA World Cup opportunity?
Absolutely massive! The stars are aligning this summer because, unlike the last FIFA World Cup which was held in winter, this one is in prime summer season. This opens up the opportunity to target wider get-togethers and parties. Some of the timings of some of the games aren’t ideal but there’s no doubt that the FIFA World Cup presents a huge opportunity for venues. Major football tournaments are always among the biggest
beer and cider occasions for UK consumers, especially during summer with evening game times.
How do Foodservice operators score during the FIFA World Cup?
We’ve got plenty of fantastic opportunities for caterers to exploit, such as great deals, new and exclusive lines and some great support available. And we shouldn’t forget that with some games being shown late at night, many people may take it a bit easier with work the next morning so no and low alcohol products will come into play – and we have lots of great promotions on great brands in that space during the tournament.
Do you have any tips for Foodservice opeartors?
Keep it simple: make sure you have enough stock for the Home Nations games and try to really get behind the tournament with theatre. Have your bar team wear football strips and make it feel special in your venue, a true celebration. Stock up on the leading deals for the day of the games. And get busy on social media to make sure everyone knows you’ll be showing the games and hosting a proper party!
MILLION MEALS DONATED 25
Booker is celebrating a significant milestone of donating 25 million meals to food redistribution charity FareShare in the last five years.
Booker is celebrating a significant milestone, providing the equivalent of 25 million meals over five years through its long-standing partnership with UK’s leading food redistribution charity, FareShare.
The 25 million meal milestone highlights the scale and impact of the partnership, which sees surplus food from across Booker’s estate redistributed to charities and community groups nationwide, helping to support families and individuals facing food insecurity while preventing good food from going to waste.
Since the partnership began, Booker has worked closely with FareShare as part of its waste reduction strategy while ensuring surplus food reaches those who need it most. The milestone comes as Booker also marks five years of involvement in the FareShare Go programme, which helps charities access additional surplus food direct from branches. Alongside FareShare, local communities are also supported to access surplus via OLIO’s Food Waste Hero volunteers, while colleagues can also take advantage of Booker’s Colleague Shop.
Incredibly proud
Angela Hughes, Technical & Sustainability Director at Booker, said: “Reaching 25 million meals donated with FareShare is a milestone we’re incredibly proud of. This partnership is about more than reducing food waste – it’s about making a meaningful difference to people’s lives, supporting local communities and creating longterm, positive impact. As we look ahead, we remain committed to building on this work and ensuring no good food goes to waste.”
Kris Gibbon-Walsh, Deputy CEO of FareShare and The Felix Project, said: “We are enormously grateful to everyone at Booker for their ongoing support. Reaching the milestone of providing the equivalent of 25m meals alongside celebrating five years partnership with the FareShare
ABOUT THE FELIX PROJECT AND FARESHARE
The Felix Project and FareShare have joined forces to become the UK’s leading food redistribution charity.
The charity rescues good-toeat surplus food that cannot be sold and would otherwise go to waste from across the
Go programme is hugely important. This food will have a life-changing impact on communities right across the UK, meaning more good-to-eat food goes to the people who need
food industry and repurposes it to support more than 8,000 community organisations across the UK. The charity manages seven depots and works with 16 network partners to operate a total of 35 depots across the UK.
FareShare was established over 30 years ago, born out of the belief that no good food should go to waste. In the last financial year, 2024-25, FareShare redistributed 62,000
it most instead of going to waste.
“With the support of Booker, thousands of charities and community groups in every region of the UK can run transformative services for local people. By saving on food, our amazing charities can focus on providing the services that matter most to their communities – we are so grateful for Booker’s support.”
Saasha Celestial-One, Co-Founder of Olio, said: “We're incredibly proud that, together with FareShare, we've been able to help Booker redistribute 25 million meals back into communities. Thank you to every single Olio and FareShare volunteer that's made this possible, as well as the Booker HQ team and colleagues – whose flexibility and commitment to sustainability have been so crucial in making our partnership a success. Here's to the next 25 million.”
tonnes of food, or the equivalent of more than 148 million meals to people in every corner of the UK.
The Felix Project was started in 2016 by Justin and Jane Byam Shaw in memory of their son Felix who passed away from meningitis in 2014 at 14. It became part of the FareShare network in 2020. In 2025 it rescued over 18,000 tonnes of food, the equivalent of more than 44 million meals.
www.fareshare.org.uk
www.thefelixproject.org
Real Impact
Across the UK, FareShare's charity partners are seeing the tangible beneifits of Booker's ongoing support.
Susan Ward, Kersiebank Food Project, said: “At Kersiebank Food Project we exist to help those who need support in the Grangemouth area in Scotland with a weekly food bank. Recently we have seen demand for our services increase and it’s difficult to keep up with the need. “We’ve been collecting from Booker for five years now and collect a range of fresh food and long-life cupboard supplies. These donations enable us to provide a variety of food for the people we support to make well-rounded meals – thank you Booker!”
Mark Graham, Development Officer at Holbrooks Community Care Association, said: “Booker’s contributions have made a significant difference to our social supermarket over the last few years enabling us to offer high quality food to the people who rely on us. “Their regular
donations of essentials –often the items that place the greatest strain on our budget, such as bread, eggs, and meat – allow us to provide a wider and more reliable range of food. Their support has strengthened our service enormously, and we’re truly grateful for the impact it has on our community.”
Lola Owoseni, Volunteer at The Vine Sanctuary, Manchester, said: “The Vine Sanctuary runs both a food bank to support people with immediate need, and also offers support services including skills training, mental health support and career guidance to help people in the community build more positive futures.
“We’ve been collecting from Booker Openshaw and Middleton regularly to support our food bank service. Booker food is fantastic and very fresh, and the staff are polite and helpful.”
WE ARE ENORMOUSLY GRATEFUL TO EVERYONE AT BOOKER FOR THEIR ONGOING SUPPORT. THIS FOOD WILL HAVE A LIFECHANGING IMPACT ON COMMUNITIES RIGHT ACROSS THE UK.
KRIS GIBBON-WALSH, DEPUTY CEO, FARESHARE
In our latest update feature on Booker’s inspiring Colleague Networks, we turn the spotlight back onto the powerful work of Women at Booker as it celebrates its third anniversary and evolution to The Gender Equality Network.
THREE YEARS OF PROGRESS
Three years ago, the Women at Booker network began with a simple but ambitious intention: to create a space where women across Booker could connect, grow and be heard. What started as a small group of passionate colleagues has evolved into a powerful community that now spans 308 members, touches every part of the business and continues to shape the culture of Booker for the better.
From the outset, the network aligned itself with the Tesco Group’s wider colleague-network purpose to ‘Amplify, Consult and Celebrate’ – a commitment which has guided every event, conversation and milestone since – principles that became the heartbeat of Women at Booker.
Marked by momentum
The last three years have been rich with activity, energy and impact. The timeline below tells a story of a network that has not only grown in size, but in confidence and influence.
March 2023: The official launch during International Women’s Day brought together 450 colleagues, signalling the appetite for change.
June 2023: The Women Exec Career Panel created space for honest dialogue about progression, attended by 65 colleagues.
November 2023: The Allyship event drew 150 colleagues, reinforcing that gender equity is everyone’s responsibility.
2024: A year of learning and visibility – from Bite Size Learning sessions on Personal Development Plans, mentorship and interview skills, to Women’s Health Week and Inspire Inclusion panels.
2025: The network continued to expand its reach with wellbeing events, including a well-received event focused on how colleagues could ‘own’ their careers, which was attended by 170 colleagues.
Last year was also a record breaker for International Women’s Day nominations, with more than 180 nominations celebrating women from across the business, as well as a fantastic 120 nominations for its International Men’s Day event recognising amazing male allies.
Alongside internal progress, the network has also gained external recognition – including colleagues being named on the INvolve Hero Global Role Models List 2024 and representation at the Diversity in Workplaces Conference.
This is a network that has not stood still. It has built confidence, created community and contributed to a broader culture shift – exactly as the strategy intended.
Building the foundation
Much of this progress has been shaped by the dedication of Abbie Hackwell and Maria Chittenden, who have served as chair and co-chair since the network’s inception. Their leadership has been rooted in empathy, ambition and a deep belief in the potential of women across Booker. Under their guidance, the network has aligned with the Group’s DE&I commitments, supported the rollout of inclusive policies and helped embed inclusion into the everyday culture of the business. As the document highlights, this sits alongside wider organisational progress – from enhanced family-friendly policies to inclusive recruitment practices and the Women’s Development Programme.
Abbie and Maria have not only built a network; they have built momentum.
Rising with purpose
As the network enters its fourth year, we mark an important transition. Leadership now passes to Stacey Gooch and Trudy Wilson, who step into the roles of chair and co-chair with a clear vision for the future. The 2026 strategic objectives set out a clear and ambitious direction:
Capability building: helping everyone to be the best version of themselves, whatever their aspirations, recognising that this benefits colleagues regardless of gender.
Confidence and visibility: increasing the visibility of emerging female talent at all levels.
Connection and community: strengthening the peer network and fostering collaboration.
Culture shift: continuing to influence a more inclusive, equitable and gender-aware organisation.
Cross-functional engagement: ensuring women thrive in every function, not just the ones where representation is already strong.
Developing early careers: linking with universities, colleges and industry partners to attract the next generation of female talent.
The essence of this next phase is captured here: “Rooted in strength, rising with purpose – building our next chapter is about connecting with more women.”
This is not just a handover. It is a continuation of a movement.
TAST ES LIKE MENU YOUR JUST GOT ST RONGER.
The Booker Colleague Networks
Booker's fab four Colleague Networks are open to all and include:
Women at Booker – newly named The Gender Equality Network
Race and Ethnicity at Booker
LGBTQ+ at Booker
Disability at Booker
Looking ahead
The network has achieved a remarkable amount in just three years – but its greatest impact may still lie ahead.
With Stacey and Trudy at the helm, a refreshed strategy and a growing community of women and allies, the network is poised to deepen its influence and broaden its reach.
And as the network evolves, so too has its name, with Women at Booker having changed to The Gender Equality Network – as was revealed at its rousing International Women’s Day event and third-anniversary celebrations on 26 March.
Three years on from its launch, a new chapter is about to unfold for the network.This next chapter will be about visibility, about opportunity and, above all, about ensuring that every woman, in every role, in every function, at every stage of her career, feels supported, represented and empowered to thrive.
